But according to reports, Derek Jeter was stinging the ball to all fields on Monday morning. It was the Yankee captain's first on-field hitting session since September, when leg problems shut him down for the season.

"Everything is good so far, knock on wood," Jeter told The Associated Press following the session at the Yankees' minor-league complex.

Just a day after the Super Bowl and 16 days before the reporting date for Yankees position players, Jeter took 39 swings in five rounds of batting practice. He also fielded 34 ground balls at his usual shortstop position.

Until Monday, Jeter had reserved his baseball activity to fielding grounders from in front of the infield dirt and hitting in the batting cages — work he'd begun at Tampa on Jan. 20.

"My job is to be ready to play," said Jeter, who was limited to 17 games last season due to two left ankle fractures and associated leg injuries. He turns 40 in June, but isn't concerned about those who wonder about his ability to return to form.

"I remember when I was 35, everyone said, 'That was it. He can't play anymore. End of [his] career.' So, it's really nothing different," Jeter said.

"Eventually, somebody is going to be right, you know what I mean? You're going to run out of numbers."

The Yankees have re-signed defensive-oriented shortstop Brendan Ryan to bolster the position. Due to his ankle injury, Jeter missed just his second opening day last season in 19 years in pinstripes.

"This off-season is like a normal off-season," Jeter said. "I'm four months ahead of where I was last year.

"Last year, quite honestly, I want to forget about it."

So do the returning members of the revamped Yankees, a club that missed the postseason for just the second time in 19 seasons.

Pitchers and catchers report to camp Feb. 14. The first full-squad workout is set for Feb. 20.

FARNSWORTH, METS AGREE TO DEAL: The Mets said Monday that they have agreed to a minor-league contract with reliever Kyle Farnsworth, who will report to spring training as a non-roster player.

The right-hander, 37, was 3-1 with two saves and a 4.70 ERA in 48 games last year with Tampa Bay and Pittsburgh, which signed him in August after he was released by the Rays. His fastball averaged 95 to 98 mph early in the season, according to fansgraphs.com, then dropped to 92 to 96 mph later in the year.

Farnsworth has a 43-63 record with 54 saves and a 4.26 ERA and 945 strikeouts in 960 innings. He's pitched for the Chicago Cubs (1999-04), Detroit (2005, 2008), Atlanta (2005, 2010), the Yankees (2006-08), Kansas City (2009-10), Tampa Bay (2011-13) and Pittsburgh (2013), and had a career-high 25 saves for the Rays in 2011.